Banana Nut Pancakes

On Friday afternoon, I helped my boyfriend pack up his car to return to Nashville.  Usually, this is a sad moment.  However, this time, instead of watching him close the door and drive away, I also got in the car.

And thus began our five-hour road trip.  We didn’t see much along the way; It’s true, the stretch between St. Louis and Nashville isn’t exactly thrilling.  Sure, there are gas stations, billboards, small towns, and cows, but you’ve seen one cow, you’ve seen them all.

The further south we drove, though, the landscape began to change. Slowly, the terrain got more hilly, there were more deer on the side of the road, and lo and behold, we crossed some rivers.  When we crossed the Ohio River, I had to take a picture of the sunset.

Sunset Over the Ohio River

I was only in Nashville for two days, so I decided to re-visit some old favorites.  For dinner on Saturday night, we went to F. Scott’s, and indulged in a three-course meal.  I chose the Sweet Potato Soup for my first course, and then we both ordered Roasted Yellowfin Tuna for our main dish. The fish was served on top off a slightly sweet parsnip puree (perhaps this was my first-ever taste of parsnips?), and some caramelized Cippolini onions.

Sweet Potato Soup at F. Scott’s

Yellowfin Tuna at F. Scott’s

When the waiter brought my plate over to the table, I had a moment of panic.  The tuna steak looked exactly like real steak; and I don’t eat red meat.  It has been a few years since the last time I ate a beef filet, but the tuna steak tasted surprisingly similar…Maybe it was the dusting of black peppercorn on the outside, and the texture and color of the meat.  But the whole experience was a little strange…

Peanut Butter Tart

Which is why I’m glad that we chose to order dessert.  I can honestly say (without any hesitation or fingers crossed) that this is the best dessert I’ve eaten since returning from France.  We decided on the Peanut Butter Tart with crushed pretzel crust, topped with banana marshmallow mousse and garnished with vanilla Creme Anglaise.  The light, airy texture of the mousse complimented the peanut butter’s creamy texture and salty taste perfectly.  Not to mention the sugared pretzel crust…The three ingredients together made for dessert perfection.

Peanut Butter Tart

Needless to say, we fought over the last spoonfuls of Creme Anglaise.

On Sunday, we visited one of my favorite Nashville restaurants, and one of my all-time favorite pizzerias: Mellow Mushroom.  Without being ironic at all (we both genuinely like mushrooms), we ordered the mushroom pizza.

Mellow Mushroom Pizza

The best part about the pizza is the crust. It’s brushed with butter, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, and slightly doughy.  I used a fork and a knife for the rest of the pizza (the slices are big), but when it came time for the crust, I abandoned my silverware.  You might even consider eating the pizza backwards…

Mellow Mushroom Pizza

The one new restaurant I did try this past weekend was Fido.  Every time I come to Nashville, my boyfriend and I show up at the restaurant for Sunday brunch, only to find a line that extends well past the bathrooms.  Instead of waiting, we always satisfy our appetite elsewhere.

Fido’s Local Sustainability

This weekend, I couldn’t wait any longer.  Capitalizing on the fact that most students were still out of town for Spring Break, we showed up to Fido at around 2 PM on a Saturday afternoon.  Maybe it was Spring Break, or maybe Saturday is just a better day than Sunday…

But whatever the reason, the line was short, and we finally got a chance to try Fido’s delicious food.  They serve breakfast all day, and my boyfriend and I both ordered the Buttermilk Banana Nut Pancakes.

Banana Nut Pancakes

I had been craving pancakes for awhile, and these were some of the best I’ve ever tasted. They were warm and fluffy, with real bits of banana inside, and a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top.  The pancakes are served with a small side of Maple Syrup and Whipped Cream, and while these make for nice additions, I hardly used them…The cakes were sweet enough on their own.

Buttermilk Banana Nut Pancakes

My trip to Nashville was short, but I still managed to revisit old favorites, and try something new.  And as I realized about three hours outside of Nashville (and somewhere over the Ohio River): in the moments when you think there’s nothing left but cows and rest stops, life has a funny way of surprising you.

Sunset Over the Ohio River